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Originally published Sept. 17, 2024
BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Who is living in poverty in Belmont County? It might not be who you think.
Belmont County Department of Job & Family Services Director Jeff Felton says there are a lot of misconceptions about the poor and how prevalent poverty is in the county.
For instance, Felton says most people who receive public assistance benefits such as food stamps (SNAP) and Medicaid have jobs.
Felton says despite a tough economy, Belmont County’s unemployment rate is stable at around 4.8 percent and work is available.
We still have lots of jobs around here.
Jeff Felton, Director, Belmont County Department of Job & Family Services
The federal government also mandates work requirements for some welfare recipients depending on which benefits they receive such as food stamps. Work requirements typically involve community service work. The federal government is now considering work requirements for Medicaid coverage, but Felton says nothing is set yet.
Finding a job and keeping a job can be difficult, and Felton says that his agency can help people overcome barriers to employment and overcome poverty. They offer referrals to parenting skills classes and therapy and operate the Ohio Means Jobs work center in Martins Ferry. Ohio Means Jobs offers job search and funds for training in areas like CDL and STNA. They also offer GED information and services for dislocated workers.
Employment is one pathway out of poverty, but where you live is also a factor. One reason poverty lingers in an area is the community’s standards, Felton explained. Some neighborhoods and towns remain enmeshed in poverty due to the status quo, things remain the same. For instance, once a community is in decline, it can be hard to bring it and its residents back financially.
Belmont County’s population is 64,918, according to the United States Census.
The county poverty rate is 17.2 percent while the state poverty rate is 11.5 percent.
The child poverty rate is 21.2 percent in Belmont County. Felton says that for the 2024 school voucher program, 14.6 percent of all children under age 18 in Belmont County qualified for the program.
Felton says Belmont County DJFS offers many services for low-income individuals such as food assistance, cash assistance, Medicaid, kinship services and foster care referrals. Call Belmont County DJFS (740) 695-1075 for details.
